True Romance

(1993)

Directed by

Tony Scott

Review by Todd Plucknett

True Romance is a film directed by action filmmaker Tony Scott, but it is impossible not to give a large amount of the credit to the Oscar-winning screenwriter of the film Quentin Tarantino. The story runs on his brilliant characters and storyline that only he could make work. Scott’s direction is solid, but I feel that if Tarantino had been behind camera, the weaker scenes would have been better shot, and the result could have been a masterpiece. The film is about two unlikely lovers: comic book store clerk Clarence Worley (Christian Slater) and call girl Alabama Whitman (Patricia Arquette). It is sort of a takeoff on Tarantino’s unfinished first film My Best Friend’s Birthday, which boasts similar themes.

Clarence loves kung fu movies, so he was attending a Sonny Chiba triple feature on his birthday, something that was a common occurrence each year. Alabama walks in and spills popcorn all over him. They immediately hit it off, and Alabama invites him to have pie and talk about the films with him when they walk out of the theater. They converse, visit his comic book store, and go back to his place and make love. Alabama is outside his apartment, sitting under a billboard when Clarence wakes up. She is in tears, and it is revealed that she is a call girl hired by Clarence’s boss, who was trying to avoid him being alone on his birthday again. He really doesn’t care either way because he had such a great time. She is worried about the fact that she may be in love on her fourth day of work. She wants to run away with him, but she is concerned about her pimp (Gary Oldman). Clarence gets advice from Elvis (Val Kilmer), basically his conscience, he leaves, kills the pimp, and steals what he thinks are Alabama’s things. It actually was a suitcase full of cocaine, which they decide to try to sell in Hollywood.

On the way there, they stop by his father’s (Dennis Hopper) home. He is an estranged former cop. Clarence lets him know that they are now married, he asks for his help in cleaning up the pimp’s place, and then they are off. His father is met by some mobsters (Oscar-winner Christopher Walken and James Gandolfini) looking for the drugs. Alabama and Clarence meet up with an actor friend (Michael Rapaport) in Hollywood. He hooks them up with a friend (Bronson Pinchot), who will hook them up with a movie producer (Saul Rubinek), who will buy the cocaine. Meanwhile, the cops (Chris Penn and Tom Sizemore) found Clarence’s driver’s license at the scene of the crime, and they are now after them also. All this develops into a bloody, thrilling, and totally satisfying conclusion.

The ensemble cast here is astonishing. It was before many of them became huge stars, but it is still amazing. Slater gives perhaps his best performance in a role similar to his norm, but with enough great scenes to truly shine. Arquette steals the show as the sexy, hyper, and hypnotic Alabama. Our chameleon actor Gary Oldman is perfect in his bit part as the pimp. Hopper is excellent. Walken plays a similar character in Pulp Fiction, and he nailed it in both films. Gandolfini was flawlessly cast in a common role for him. Rapaport gives a familiar turn. Rubinek does a fine job, as do Penn and Sizemore. Pinchot is hilarious, and Kilmer fits the role as The King very well. I also loved Brad Pitt as the stoner roommate of Rapaport’s character, and Samuel L. Jackson as one of the pimp’s buddies. That is about as much star power that can fit in a film.

True Romance has always been a very intriguing film to me. Not only is it a Tarantino random thrill, but it is also a romance. The relationship between Alabama and Clarence is captivating. The scene in the diner is so well put together. Their relationship is basically a Bonnie and Clyde type of connection, given the abrupt and strange attractions toward each other. It is such an enjoyable film to watch. You just feel as if you want to be those characters in those situations. Yes, it may be just another take on the “hooker with the heart of gold” cliché, but the character development here makes the characters so much more authentic. The performances of the two leads make these characters totally believable and lovable. You actually begin to care about and relate to these people, even though their actions are completely outrageous and ludicrous. The oddly captivating romance between the two characters is one of the many brilliant qualities of this film.

Most of the film is trademark Tarantino, except for the fact that this film is actually a linear storyline. The action scenes are the only major problem with the film. Scott’s directing style does not totally fit in those scenes. It is such a fun film, but then the slow motion gunfire scenes kick in and spoil the experience. There is one scene in particular that was set up a lot like the Reservoir Dogs shootout scene, but then it takes a turn that almost completely ruins it. However, the result is still a smashing success. There is a little piece of music written by Hans Zimmer that plays throughout the film that really gives it an absorbing edge. The final scenes are vintage Tarantino, and his token dialogue is something to be admired. There is a scene between Hopper and Walken that is absolutely brilliantly written and delivered by both actors. The film ends up becoming an action film with heart. It is full of energy and priceless scenes and characters. You can just sense how much passion Tarantino had for these characters. In fact, it is said that Tarantino was actually a lot like Clarence before his filmmaking success. He sold this script to fund Reservoir Dogs, his first feature. True Romance became the most complete film that Scott has ever put together, and it ranks with Tarantino’s most commendable and unique screenwriting achievements.

Rating:

# 6 of 1993